


The Character of Darkness

by kelex



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-29
Updated: 2013-07-29
Packaged: 2017-12-21 19:37:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 472
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/904086
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kelex/pseuds/kelex
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Only one person can get through Snape's defenses.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Character of Darkness

There were a lot of things that Severus Snape used to defend himself. Spells, potions, charms, wards, even simple things like locks on doors and walls in his mind. But they were only part of the shield. 

Disdain and anger, bitterness and incivility, wrapped around himself in a cloak of general unpleasantness that kept anyone--other than the Great Meddler himself, Albus Dumbledore--from getting *too* close and endangering not only themselves, but Snape as well. 

Even the Dark Mark served that purpose, keeping the world at arm's length because no one wanted to associate with a Voldemort sympathizer, reformed or not. And it was all the better that his reformation was in question, because it drove still others away; none of the softer hearts wanted to rehabilitate him, and none of the authorities questioned him while he was under the protective auspices of Dumbledore's reign at Hogwarts.

He was as happy as he could be in his post; Potions Master was a hard-won title, and he took pride in having achieved it at his young age, in spite of his background. It was one of the few things that he *was* proud of. 

His students were terrified of him, with good reason; he gave them no quarter, had no patience with stupidity, and did what he had to in order to remain in the good graces of the families still connected with Voldemort. Even among the youngest First Years, his story was nearly legend--a follower of Voldemort, a Death Eater, teaching at Hogwarts. Potter was in his seventh year, but every year, the rumored animosity between them grew to nearly epic proportions. 

And it wasn't far from the truth either.

Harry Potter remained a thorn in his side every second of his existence; he detested sharing the same classroom with the arrogant boy, he begrudged Harry every breath of air that he breathed, despised that this little whelp lived because his stubbornly Gryffindorish mother had refused to leave James to face the Dark Lord alone and it had cost her life.

And the boy looked like his bastard Gryffindor father, down to the mop of unruly hair and black glasses. 

The only thing he had of Lily were her eyes, and every once in a while, if Snape bothered to look, he could see Lily smiling out of Harry's eyes when he laughed with his friends, or he could see her locked jaw in Harry's face as he flew in hot pursuit of the Snitch, not knowing the definition of failure. 

Occasionally, if he was lucky, he would see Lily's eyes when he pinned Harry against the wall of the classroom during detention, and if he did, he would close his eyes before he kissed the boy, and hope that Lily would forgive him for defiling her son.

The End


End file.
